


The Flirtation Dance

by Zaxal



Category: Psych
Genre: Bad Flirting, Flirting, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-03
Updated: 2015-02-03
Packaged: 2018-03-10 06:29:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,317
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3280181
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zaxal/pseuds/Zaxal
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Carlton decides to see what happens if he deliberately flirts back with Shawn.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Flirtation Dance

**Author's Note:**

> For Shassie Week 2015, Bonus Day 1: Oblivious.

Shawn Spencer was a shameless flirt. Carlton had known this since the first time they'd worked together, the way he'd gotten close to the daughter, the way he smiled so widely at any pretty face and his own.

He had no idea what that was about. Absolutely none. There was no reason for Shawn to touch him, to drag his fingers down his skin, to sit in his lap, to pay him any attention when his partner was young and female and pretty and available. Not that Shawn didn't flirt with Juliet because he did.

But that didn't answer the question: why _him _?__

__Maybe he was reading too much into it, maybe he was bored of his own stagnant love life. Maybe he was curious._ _

__Shawn grabbed his hand during one of his episodes, fingers teasingly tracing the calluses, and his own fingers curled around his hand. He avoided eye contact, broke away from him a moment later to see if Shawn faltered._ _

__He didn't. "The good news is: you're as healthy as a healthy horse." Clapped his shoulder. "Bad news: you're missing out on your destiny as a graceful dancer. The world's a worse place for it." Moved past him to get back in the swing of the case._ _

__And really, Carlton could have let it drop._ _

__But eventually even Shawn would reach his limit. Carlton wanted to know where it was. Preferably so he could locate the nearest exit as quickly as necessary when he came around and started messing up his life again._ _

__Besides, he had nothing else going on. If Spencer was going to flirt with him, why not flirt back?_ _

__A few days later, Shawn made a flippant comment, something about, "Lassie over there with his big blue eyes."_ _

__He made a point of staring at Shawn's until tension wound through his shoulders, his smile wavering. "What?"_ _

__"I'm trying to decide what color your eyes are."_ _

__"They're hazel," Shawn said and in the same breath, "Where's Jules? I can smell the faintest remainders of peach shampoo."_ _

__Unfazed. Unfair._ _

__Shawn was traipsing around his crime scene not long after, grinning and making a nuisance of himself. Guster was trying to herd him away, but it didn't last. He and Shawn collided together, coffee spilling between them. They were sent outside by forensics for contaminating the crime scene. Shawn sat on the stairs while Carlton leaned against the railing._ _

__"I'm gonna have to go home and change," he grumbled pointedly._ _

__"Why wait?" Shawn said, irritated himself with having to sit still and out of the way._ _

__Carlton shrugged out of his jacket and holster, untied his tie, setting them to the side so he could unbutton his stained shirt and draping it over the railing next to him._ _

__Caught Shawn looking at his white undershirt, a more casual look than he usually tolerated. Smirked and waited for the snide remark, for him to try and catch him off-guard. Waited but it didn't come._ _

__"All right," eventually came the voice of a forensics person. "No more accidents and you can both come back inside."_ _

__"Awesome," Shawn grinned. "Time out's over. Back in the game, Lassie!" Slapped his ass before he shot to his feet and scurried back inside._ _

__Carlton took a brief moment to stare at the sky and wonder what kind of cruel and uncaring God would allow this to happen to him. Then he turned on his heel and walked back inside to finish collecting evidence and forming his initial theories and concerns._ _

__Found himself with a hand full of fake psychic before the case was over, dragging him away from prying eyes, fingers curled into his skin as he leaned close, mouth almost to his ear as he demanded, "Are you happy? You've made an ass of yourself, me, and the department."_ _

__"You didn't exactly need my help," Shawn pointed out with a low hiss of pain as Carlton released him. Rolled his shoulder with a glare, "I understand you're trying to save face with our perp-"_ _

__"- _my_ perp," Carlton snarled._ _

__"-but he's not gonna respond to your alpha macho male act, so give it a rest and let me work."_ _

__Sneered, barely managing to keep from pointing out that whether the perp did or not, Shawn did. His pupils were wide, darkening his eyes, directly contrasting with the air of determination he had gathered around him._ _

__Found himself conceding, "You have five minutes."_ _

__Rolled his eyes, "Thanks, Lass. You're a huge help." Walked away and back into the interrogation room sans officer to plop in the chair across from their suspect and begin talking._ _

__He didn't have any reason to push and pull him around. He had no reason to continue their escalation. There was work to get done, and Shawn wasn't playing along._ _

__Carlton may have been oblivious to the minutiae of other people, of their reasoning and actions, but he understood his own feelings as well as someone who had been actively repressing them for thirty years could. It was obvious to him why he wanted Shawn to respond, why he read into the things he did – he was interested._ _

__Fine. That was fine._ _

__He watched Shawn work with an ugly feeling in his chest; jealousy and hurt telling him what he already knew: this street only went one way. Maybe he was interested in Shawn, but that interest wasn't returned. Couldn't be. How stupid did he have to be to miss that part? And of course without there being emotional attachment at risk, Shawn could escalate indefinitely. He could probably end up on his knees in front of him or on all fours in Carlton's bed, and knowing that it meant nothing, he could skip his way through the next case without a glance behind._ _

__"He's all yours," Shawn said as the interrogation room clicked closed behind him. "Remember to go easy on him – he'll probably give you everything you want if you pry just right." His eyes practically twinkled as they met Carlton's._ _

__His stomach sank, and he shouldered his way past him. "I don't need you to tell me how to do my job, Spencer."_ _

__"Debatable," Shawn muttered loud enough for Carlton to hear._ _

__He knew that he needed to stop, but knowing and following through were two different things. So he indulged. He touched and shoved and pushed the way he wanted to every time Shawn pushed him first. It was childish, unprofessional, but it was the one thing in his life that made him feel like he wasn't completely alone._ _

__Shawn squared his shoulders during a tight squeeze down a dingy hallway, demanding with a wide smirk, "Never thought we'd get this up close and personal, detective."_ _

__Carlton responded by pressing in, voice dropped to a low growl. "Is it everything you imagined?"_ _

__When he pulled back, Shawn's expression faltered. It was as close to victory as he could get. He pushed past Shawn and prepared to kick down a door. He didn't have time for this nonsense now._ _

__Later, though, in the entryway of his home, the door hanging half open and a heavy body pressing him to the wall, he thought he might be able to make time. Carlton's hands went to him, one on his shoulder and the other cupping his jaw, tongue sliding sensually along Shawn's. Shawn breathed against his lips: "This is the part I imagined."_ _

__"Me too," he confessed as his heart throbbed traitorously in his chest, wanting so much that he couldn't have._ _

__"No way," Shawn scoffed, almost offended. "How long?"_ _

__"Few months," he answered, lips moving alongside Shawn's._ _

__"Have not," he said skeptically. "Why didn't you do anything about it?"_ _

__"Why didn't you?"_ _

__Shawn laughed helplessly, leaning in to rest his head on Carlton's shoulder. "I'm an idiot. What's your excuse?"_ _

__Carlton gave himself until he closed the door to come up with a good one._ _


End file.
